Please join us in a dialogue with Professor David Maurrasse, nationally recognized expert on the "engaged university." President and CEO of Marga Inc., a consulting firm which addresses cross sector partnerships, philanthropy, strategy, and various aspects of management, Dr. Maurrasse is a leader in the fields of applied scholarship and community development. He is also a professor in the School of International Affairs and the Urban Planning Department at Columbia University, where he founded the Center for Innovation in Social Responsibility. The Center has promoted research and dialogue toward more effective partnerships between major institutions/industries and communities.

The Child Care for All Campaign, operated by Empower DC, is having a Family Fun Day on December 18. To make the event fun for kids, DC Action for Children is collecting new toys for the event. Please donate a new, unwrapped toy (for children ages 2 to 11) and make the event extra special for kids whose parents are working to ensure that the city's child care subsidy program is fully funded. Full funding means that all low- and moderate-income families have access to affordable child care. Families without subsidized child care are struggling to meet the basic needs of their families and we want to make this holiday season fun for kids and less stressful for parents.

The District of Columbia Grassroots Empowerment Project (Empower DC) is a grassroots organizing project with the mission of enhancing and improving the self-advocacy of low and moderate income DC residents in order to bring about systemic change around issues by which they are directly impacted. At the direction of our membership, Empower DC's work is focused on the issues of affordable housing, affordable child care and government accountability.

Empower DC's Child Care for All Campaign is a group of low and moderate income parents who are concerned about the issue of quality, affordable child care and have come together to raise their voices for full funding for the Child Care Subsidy program and other needed improvements. The campaign parents from all parts of DC come together each month to plan campaign activities which are carried out throughout the month, including presenting at local meetings, testifying at hearings, meeting with policy makers and raising awareness about the benefits of affordable child care through grassroots outreach and the media.

Dear Friends:

This is to invite you to join us in our Second EITC Hispanic Free Clinic (Earned Income Tax Credit) as Volunteers Tax Preparers for next year's tax season (January through April 2005).

CentroNía in a joint effort with the Children's Defense Fund will have this free service for low-income families who live in the Columbia Heights/Adams Morgan/Mount Pleasant neighborhoods.

Last year we had the support from American University and Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, and we hope to have the same great experience again and also to be able to share it with new and more volunteers.

So, we need your support as Volunteer to provide this support to our community.

Volunteers will:

- Attend a 2-day training on Tax preparation for 1040 forms and simple tax filing.
- Interview taxpayers and prepare taxes based on a software system provided by the IRS
- Advice and guide clients in better ways to manage their finances and file taxes for this year and the future.

It is important that the Volunteers:

- Be bilingual: Spanish and English
- Feel comfortable using computers
- Be able to work with our service on Tuesdays and Thursdays in the afternoons (1-6pm) or Saturday mornings (9-1pm), from January 17th through April 15th. They can choose the best day/time that fits their schedule.

Remember, we need your confirmation by December 15th, 2004.

Thanks in advance!!!

Isabel Barranzuela
Communications Associate
CentroNía
202-332-4200 ext. 167

The Mayor's Office of Partnerships and Grants Development, in partnership with the Washington Council of Agencies, announces its Sixth Annual Pubic-Private Partnership Conference to be held on Monday, December 13, 2004, 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. at the new Washington Convention Center (801 Mt. Vernon Pl., NW).
This year's theme is Embracing, Strengthening, and Sustaining Partnerships: The Reality of It All.

Workshops include:

· He Said, She Said: Establishing Partnership Roles through a Memorandum of Understanding and other documents
· Fear Factor: Preparing the New WRAG Common Grant Application
· Top 10 Tips for Running Successful Nonprofit Organizations
· The Weakest Link: What You Always Wanted to Know About Indirect Cost Rates But Were Afraid to Ask
· Go Directly to Jail: Don't Play Games with Grant Money

Networking opportunities include:
· Local government representatives from DC, Maryland and Virginia and Federal government representatives
· Foundation representatives
· Nonprofit and faith-based representatives

Visit the Exhibit Hall:
· Get information on the latest technology and capacity-building opportunities
· Interested in an exhibit space? See Below

Who should attend?
· Nonprofit and Faith-Based Organization Representatives
· Foundation and Corporate Leaders
· College and University Representatives
· Local and Federal Government Representatives

Nonprofit Exhibitors:

With a contribution of $100, a Nonprofit Conference Exhibitor receives:

· ONE registration to the conference and Exhibit Area
· Listing as Conference Exhibitor on printed materials related to the conference
· Signage and recognition at event
· Lunch for one
· Exhibit table and chair at the Conference
· (additional registrants are $55/each, includes lunch and additional chairs at the exhibit table)

For more exhibitor information, contact Jeff Kost, Deputy Director for External Affairs, Washington Council of Agencies, 202-457-0540 x207 or jeffk@wcanonprofits.org.

If you would like to share any announcements from your organization or campus with the CoRAL Network community, send a brief blurb to cbenitez@coralnetwork.org by close of business each Thursday for inclusion in the following Monday's Newsbits.